Ricciardo finds Silverstone gravel trap but tops day two of Young Driver Test

Daniel Ricciardo had an eventful days running at the Silverstone Young Driver Test, setting the fastest time of the day at the wheel of the Toro Rosso STR8.

The Aussie completed the morning session in the Toro Rosso car with understanding the Pirelli tyres being the main objective. His best time of 1m32.972 was the fastest of his 48 laps in the morning before he moved across to Red Bull after lunch.

Ricciardo – who is effectively auditioning for the 2014 Red Bull seat – set a best time two tenths shy of his benchmark effort in the Toro Rosso and completed 59 laps at the wheel of the Red Bull RB9. It could have been even more had he not had a spin at Luffield on only his seventh lap, losing time as his car was recovered.

Sandwiched by Ricciardo’s two times finished Carlos Sainz Junior who took over driving duties for Toro Rosso in the afternoon. It was a rare 1-2 for the Italian squad as Sainz Junior got his first taste of F1 machinery, completing 39 laps.

The first non-Red Bull sponsored car was the Lotus of Davide Valsecchi who set the fourth fastest time. The Frenchman lapped the Silverstone circuit 91 times after having the E21 to himself for the whole day. Oliver Turvey was fifth in the McLaren – the MP4-28 topped the first day in the hands of Kevin Magnussen – with the Brit also being given a full day of running.

James Calado – who finished fourth after his morning session on Wednesday – was again at the wheel of the VJM06 and finished sixth fastest after 47 laps with a best time of 1m33.957. Antonio Felix da Costa impressed in the Red Bull on day one and returned to the cockpit for the morning session, completing 19 laps and setting a time one second slower than Ricciardo’s best effort in the Toro Rosso.

Davide Rigon took to the track for Ferrari once again and finished eighth after completing close to 100 laps. Maldonado was ninth in the Williams after driving the morning session for the Grove based squad. Juncadella returned to the wheel of the FW35 for the afternoon and finished 11th with Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber in-between. The German circulated the track 52 times on Thursday afternoon with fellow Sauber Young Driver Test racer Robin Frijns finishing 12th after his morning drive.

Will Stevens – Formula Renault 3.5 racer – drove for Caterham and completed the most laps of anyone; 98. Di Resta was 14th after 48 laps as he drove his second afternoon in the car and Rodolfo Gonzalez rounded out the results for Marussia after a productive day.

Jack Leslie is a freelance motorsport journalist. He has been part of the Richland F1 team since the very start and made his debut in the F1 paddock for the website at the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix. Jack also writes for Car Throttle and RumbleStripNews, as well as running a popular blog.